House blocks effort to condemn Gosar for immigrant arrest tweet

PHOENIX — A resolution was blocked by the U.S. House on Tuesday that would have condemned Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar’s call for any illegal immigrant attending the State of the Union to be arrested.

The vote was 231-187 to kill the resolution.

The resolution was brought forward by Democratic Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, who argued that her Republican colleague from Arizona had abused his power and attempted to interfere with U.S. Capitol Police’s efforts to provide a secure environment.

Grisham, the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, said Gosar’s remarks “intimidated” guests and “discredited” the House.

In a tweet, Gosar blasted Grisham and said he would not be intimidated.

“I have a First Amendment right to speak out against their advocacy for criminals, gang members, drug dealers, human traffickers and simple run-of-the-mill lawbreakers who have violated our immigration laws,” he said in a lengthy statement.

Gosar tweeted in the buildup to last week’s address by President Donald Trump that Capitol Police should arrest any illegal immigrant at the speech.

“Of all the places where the rule of law needs to be enforced, it should be in the hallowed halls of Congress,” Republican U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar said in a stream of tweets.

“Any illegal aliens attempting to go through security, under any pretext of invitation or otherwise, should be arrested and deported.”

Prior to Gosar’s tweet, several lawmakers, primarily Democrats, had said they planned to bring Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients or “Dreamers” as their guest.